Dough moulder

ABSTRACT

A dough moulder for producing moulded dough products of a desired size and/or shape. The moulder includes guide plate ( 155, 156 ) which are selectively insertable through respective pairs of slots ( 151, 152, 153 ) formed in a pressure rolling board ( 150 ). The guide plates ( 155, 156 ) extend through the pressure rolling board ( 150 ) to define a channel of selectable width depending on which pair of slots ( 151, 152, 153 ) is selected. The variable width channel enables dough products of a desired size and/or shape to be rolled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a dough moulder.

In particular, the invention relates to a dough moulder which isparticularly suitable for, but not limited to, moulding dough ofdifferent volumes/weights to suit a range of bread and/or breadsticksizes.

2. Prior Art

Bread moulders are conventionally used to receive a piece of pre-weigheddough and mould it to a desired shape for a specific bakery product,before the dough is “proved” and then baked.

Small retail bakeries, or the bakery departments in supermarkets, maywish to produce a range of bread loaf sizes, together withstick-products, which are sold to the public.

Conventional dough moulders are not readily adjustable to enablemoulding of the different dough piece sizes. For an example, a mouldermanufactured by “Mono” (Trade Mark), which is arranged to be able tomould the dough for three different loaf sizes, has respective mouldingsections for each loaf size, and gate means operable to selectivelydirect the dough pieces to the appropriate moulding section. A separatedough moulder is required to mould the dough for stick-type bakeryproducts e.g., French sticks.

While it is known to have adjustable side plates on the inlet mouth tothe moulding rollers to accommodate different size dough pieces, thereis a tendency for pieces of the dough to form “strips” at the ends ofthe moulded dough pieces which result in an unattractive appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is desirable to provide a dough moulder which is easily adjustable tomould dough pieces into a range of sizes and/or shapes.

It is advantageous to provide such a dough moulder which is simple tooperate; and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

In a broad aspect, the present invention resides in a dough moulder ofthe type having at least one pair of inlet rollers; a dough conveyoroperable to receive a strip of dough which has passed through therollers, the conveyor having a first run operable to co-operate with acurling chain belt to curl or roll the dough strip into a dough pieceand a second run operable with a pressure rolling board to mould thedough piece to a selected size and/or shape, wherein the dough moulderincludes guide plates insertable through slots in the pressure rollingboard into a gap between the second run and the pressure rolling boardto define a channel for limiting the length of the moulded dough piece.

When located in situ, the guide plates preferably define a channel thatextends substantially parallel to the second run of the conveyor.

The guide plates may be insertable through slots in the pressure rollingboard into the gap to locate said guide plates and, thereby, define saidchannel.

Preferably the pressure rolling board has a non-stick surface e.g., ofPTFE, or other suitable material.

Preferably an inlet mouth, which directs the divided dough to the inletrollers, has a pair of moving side plates operable to vary the effectivewidth of the dough inlet to the rollers.

The inlet may include limiting means that selectively controls the widthof a dough piece fed to the dough moulder. In the preferred embodiment,the channel means is operably linked to the limiting means such thatselective width adjustment of the channel also adjusts the limitingmeans to feed dough pieces concomitantly adjusted in length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To enable the invention to be fully understood, a preferred embodimentwill now be described, by way of example only, with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a Prior Art dough moulder;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view, corresponding to FIG. 1, showing apiece of the divided dough being fed by the dough rollers to the doughconveyor;

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the curling of the dough piece byco-operation between the first run of the dough conveyor and the curlingbelt chain;

FIG. 4 is a cut away isometric view of a dough moulder of the presentinvention in a preferred embodiment without the inlet and with only onedough guide plate located;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the dough moulder in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic front elevational view of the dough moulder of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 7 is a front view, parts being omitted for clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 to 3 show schematic views of a prior art moulder where a divideddough piece 10 of preselected weight e.g., 2 lbs (900 grams), from adough divider (not shown), is passed via an inlet mouth (not shown)between first and second pairs 20,21 of counter-rotating dough rollersto form a relatively thin dough strip 11 which engages the first run 31of a belt dough conveyor 30, the first run 31 being spaced below acurling chain belt 40 and co-operating therewith to “curl” or “roll” thedough strip 11 as illustrated in FIG. 3. The “curled” dough piece 12passes around the tail roller 32 of the dough conveyor 30 and is thenrolled between the second run 33 of the dough conveyor 30 and a pressurerolling board 50 which is adjustable to enable the gap between thesecond run 33 of the conveyor belt and the pressure rolling board 50 tobe adjusted.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 7, the moulder 100 of the present invention hasdough rollers 120,121, dough conveyor 130, and curling chain belt 140substantially as hereinbefore described. The pressure rolling board 150is modified from the pressure rolling board 50 of the prior art in themanner to be hereinafter described.

The divided dough pieces 10 are fed to the dough rollers 120 via aninlet mouth 160 which has a limiting means in the form of a pair of sideplates 161,162, selectively movable towards, or away from, each other,to limit the width of the dough strip 11 which is fed to the first run131 of the dough conveyor 130.

The dough moulder 100 includes channel means in the form of slots 151,152, 153 formed in the pressure rolling board 150 and dough guide plates155, 156 which are locatable by way of insertion through the slots 151,152, 153, to define a channel of a selected width. Pairs of slots151,152,153 are provided at selected spacings on opposed sides of thecentre line 154 of the pressure rolling board 150. When inserted throughthe slots 151, 152, 153, the dough guide plates 155, 156 form thechannel in the gap between the second run 133 and the pressure rollingboard 150 in a direction substantially parallel to the second run 133.For example, for three popular British bread sizes, the inner pair ofslots 151 may be spaced 150 mm apart; the intermediate slots 152 may bespaced 220 mm apart; and the outer slots 153 may be spaced 300 mm apart.The slots 151, 152, 153 can be arranged to provide channels having awidth in the range of 100 to 350 mm. These would enable e.g., “1 pound”;“bloomer” (Trade Mark); and “half loaf” loaves to be moulded. For longthin stick-type bakery products, all of the guides plates are retracted.

In an alternative form, the moulder 100 may include a pair of guideplates 155, 156 for each respective pair of slots 151, 152, 153.

The dough guide plates 155, 156 include leading portions 157 (see FIGS.4 and 5) inclined relative to and in the same plane as the remainder ofeach guide plate such that the opposed leading portions 157 define afunnel for directing dough pieces 12 from the first run 131 into thechannel. The leading portions 157 are sized and shaped to fit throughthe leading ends of the slots.

It will be appreciated that the size of the gap between the second run133 and the pressure rolling board 150 controls the pressure exerted ona dough piece being rolled. The extent to which the dough guide plates155, 156 extend through the slots 151, 152, 143 into the gap affects thesize of the gap and the pressure on a dough piece 12. The dough guideplates 155, 156, therefore, extend between the pressure rolling board150 and second run 133 by an amount that permits adjustment of the gapsize such that the second run 133 co-operates with the pressure rollingboard 150 to retain a desired pressure on a dough piece 12. Suchadjustment, accordingly, contributes to producing dough pieces of aselected size and/or shape.

Adjustment of the gap is achieved by moving the pressure rolling board150 relative to the second run 133. To avoid having the dough guideplates 155, 156 contact the second run 133 and thereby prevent furthermovement of the pressure rolling board 150 closer to the second run 133,the pressure rolling board 150 is moveable relative to the second run133 independently of the insertion of the dough guide plates 155, 156through the pressure rolling board 150. As an alternative, the width ofeach slot 151, 152, 153 may be selected to co-operate with a givencross-sectional shape of the dough guide plates 155, 156 such that theguide plates 155, 156 extend into the gap by an extent determined by thewidth of the slot 151, 152, 153 and cross-sectional shape of the guideplate 155, 156. For instance, the pairs of slots 151, 152, 153 may beprovided with a relative width that diminishes with spacing away fromthe centre line of the pressure rolling board 150. The dough guideplates 150 may have a tapered cross-section that narrows toward the top.The dough guide plates 150 will, therefore, extend into the gap by agreater extent for wider slots 151, 152, 153, than for narrower slots151, 152, 153.

To simplify operation of the moulder 100, linkage means 180 (e.g.,incorporating mechanical links, belt cranks and the like) mayinterconnect operating handles 181 that move the dough guide plates 155,156 with the side plates 161,162 so that the side plates 161,162 aremoved inwardly, or outwardly, to respectively constrict or expand theinlet 155, 156 as the dough guide plates are adjusted to select adecreased or increased channel width. That is, the linkage means enablesconcomitant adjustment of the length of dough pieces fed through theinlet in response to adjustment of the channel width.

In tests conducted on an experimental machine, it has been found thatthere has been little, if any, tendency for the dough pieces 12 to beforced or “extruded” into the slots 151,152,153; and any small “ridges”which may be formed on the outer surface of the final dough pieces 12disappear when the dough pieces are “proved”.

It will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the number andspacing of the pairs of slots, and corresponding dough guide plates; andthe number of alternative spacings between the moving side plates161,162 of the inlet mouth 160, can be varied to suit the range ofloaves and bakery pieces for which the moulder is to mould the doughpieces.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodimentsdescribed and illustrated without departing from the present invention.

1-18. (canceled)
 19. A dough moulder of the type having at least onepair of inlet rollers; a dough conveyor operable to receive a strip ofdough which has passed through the rollers, the conveyor having a firstrun operable to co-operate with a curling chain belt to curl or roll thedough strip into a dough piece and a second run operable with a pressurerolling board to mould the dough piece to a selected size and/or shape,wherein: the dough moulder includes guide plates insertable throughslots in the pressure rolling board into a gap between the second runand the pressure rolling board to define a channel for limiting thelength of the moulded dough piece.
 20. A dough moulder according toclaim 19, wherein the guide plates are operable to define the channelwith a selected width.
 21. A dough moulder according to claim 19,wherein the slots are provided in respectively spaced pairs such thatthe guide plates define the channel with a selected width when insertedthrough a respective pair of spaced slots.
 22. A dough moulder accordingto claim 19, wherein said slots are provided in corresponding pairs,each slot of a respective pair is arranged at a selected spacing from acenterline of the pressure rolling board such that, when said guideplates are inserted through a pair of slots, said channel is centered onsaid centerline.
 23. A dough moulder according to claim 19, wherein saidguide plates, located in situ in the gap, define a channel that extendssubstantially parallel to the second run of the conveyor.
 24. A doughmoulder according to claim 19, wherein said guide plates have leadingportions which direct the dough piece into the defined channel.
 25. Adough moulder according to claim 24, wherein said leading portions areconvergent with respect to each other to direct a dough piece from thefirst run into the channel.
 26. A dough moulder according to claim 25,wherein said pressure rolling board has two or more pairs of slots. 27.A dough moulder according to claim 24 or 25, wherein said moulderincludes one or more pairs of guide plates for insertion through saidslots.
 28. A dough moulder according to claim 24 or 25, wherein saidmoulder includes one pair of guide plates for each pair of slots.
 29. Adough moulder according to claim 19, wherein said guide plates extendbetween the pressure rolling board and said second run by an extent thatpermits adjustment of the gap such that the second run co-operates withthe pressure rolling board to mould the dough piece to a selected sizeand/or shape.
 30. A dough moulder according to claim 29, wherein thepressure rolling board is moveable relative to the guide plates defininga channel whereby to adjust said gap and adjust extension of said guideplates between the pressure rolling board and the second run.
 31. Adough moulder according to claim 19, wherein the pressure rolling boardhas a non-stick coating to facilitate movement of dough pieces throughsaid channel.
 32. A dough moulder according to claim 19, wherein theinlet rollers are fed dough pieces from an inlet, said inlet includinglimiting means to selectively control the width of a dough piece fed tothe inlet rollers.
 33. A dough moulder according to claim 32, whereinthe limiting means includes side plates moveable relative to each otherto constrict or expand an opening through which the dough pieces passfor feeding to the inlet rollers, such that dough pieces that passthrough the relatively constricted aperture have a length greater thanthe length of the dough pieces that pass through the expanded aperture.34. A dough moulder according to claim 32, wherein a linkage meansinterconnects the channel means to the limiting means such thatselective width adjustment of the channel also adjusts the limitingmeans to feed dough pieces concomitantly adjusted in length.
 35. A doughmoulder according to claim 19, including a channel means operable toselectively adjust the channel to a width falling substantially in therange from 100 to 350 mm.
 36. A dough moulder according to claim 19,including a channel means operable to selectively adjust the channel toa width falling substantially in the range from 150 to 300 mm.